Fight or Flight?

So I have this friend; she’s gorgeous, smart, and the sweetest girl you’ll ever meet. Her one problem? She is beyond awkward when running into exes. Whether she was the heart breaker or the break-ee, it doesn’t matter. She turns into a stuttering, red-faced ball of awkward whenever she has to interact with an ex.

I think a lot of us can relate to this feeling though. By the time your eyes lock and you both realize what’s happening, it’s too late. The decision must be made whether to put your head down and retreat in the other direction, or mutter some niceties and make up some excuse to leave as quickly as possible. Either way it’s an awkward situation.

First of all, I’m going to say never ever take the Katy Perry approach…

Personally, I take these encounters on a case-by-case basis. If it’s one of the exes that I’ve used my secret break-up tactic on, then sure I’ll stop and make a little small talk, finding that escape route as quickly as possible and sauntering off in an “eat your heart out” kind of way. Because honestly, if we’ve broken up I don’t care how your mom is, I don’t care how school is going, and I don’t care about your new girlfriend that you’re so eager to babble on about. The other option is the quick, head down and bolt in the other direction method, but I don’t like to run away with my tail between my legs unless it’s absolutely necessary. A sure fire way to tell if it’s necessary? He broke up with you in front of a crowd, you left some kind of undergarment at his house and never saw him again, or you just can’t remember his name for the life of you. These, and other similar scenarios, call for a fast getaway.

So it’s really up to you, and how you want to play it. But make sure whichever you choose, you do it fast, nothing is worse than the obvious deliberation over whether to react or retreat … only to see him put his head down and bolt in the other direction … rawkward!